Electrical connectors, such as modular jacks and modular plugs, are commonly used in telecommunications systems. Such connectors may be used to provide interfaces between successive runs of cable in telecommunications systems and between cables and electronic devices. In the field of data communications, communications networks typically utilize techniques designed to maintain or improve the integrity of signals being transmitted via the network (“transmission signals”). To protect signal integrity, the communications networks should, at a minimum, satisfy compliance standards that are established by standards committees, such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). The compliance standards help network designers provide communications networks that achieve at least minimum levels of signal integrity as well as some standard of compatibility.
To promote high circuit density, communications networks typically include a plurality of electrical connectors that bring transmission signals in close proximity to one another. For example, the contacts of multiple sets of jacks and plugs are positioned fairly closely to one another. However, such a high density configuration is particularly susceptible to alien crosstalk inference.
Alien crosstalk is electromagnetic noise that can occur in a cable that runs alongside one or more other signal-carrying cables or in a connector that is positioned proximate to another connector. The term “alien” arises from the fact that this form of crosstalk occurs between different cables in a bundle or different connectors in a group, rather than between individual wires or circuits within a single cable or connector. Alien crosstalk affects the performance of a communications system by reducing the signal-to-noise ratio.
Various arrangements are introduced to reduce alien crosstalk between adjacent connectors. One possible solution is to separate the cables and/or connectors from each other by a predetermined distance so that the likelihood of alien crosstalk is minimized. This solution, however, reduces the density of cables and/or connectors that may be used per unit of area.
The telecommunications industry is constantly striving toward larger signal frequency ranges. As transmission frequency ranges widen, crosstalk becomes more problematic. Thus, there is a need for further development of electrical connectors with high efficiency in reducing the crosstalk between adjacent connectors.